ATHOR (Advanced THermomechanical multiscale mOdelling of Refractory linings) was an innovative, collaborative and interdisciplinary European project, running from 2017-2022, that brought together 6 academic beneficiaries and 8 private partners. The main objective was to develop high-end engineering technologies in material engineering and numerical simulations thanks to an intensive cooperation between academia, raw materials suppliers, refractory producers and end-users. The different key impact achievements, on several levels for our international refractory community, of this EU project, will be here highlighted.
Today, the movement of the iron & steelmaking industry towards net-zero emissions and digitalized processes through disruptive, breakthrough technologies will be achieved through the use of Hydrogen. The biggest challenge for the refractory industry is to continue to meet the performance expectations while, at the same time, moving to a more sustainable production direction. The complexity and urgency of these technology changes, highlighted by the European Green Deal, requires a Concerted European Action on Sustainable Applications of REFractories (CESAREF). During the coming period 2022-2026, a consorted and coordinated European network with steel, refractory, raw material producers and key academic poles will tackle the following key topics: efficient use of raw materials and recycling, microstructure design for increased sustainability, anticipation of hydrogen steelmaking, energy efficiency and durability.